Apparatus for treating material



July 20, 1937. J. w`. soLEs APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l. 1957 Hwd wn 3 3 XLW @mi n@ Q a; w w o A v u mm wm nm i@ 7 m m M m m N|\ n a 4 o m m J f1 N y v ul u V R w a w m@ IJ L fw SL QN. o\ h( M V w ONXCABy July 2o, 1937. J, w, SOLES 2,087,870

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL Filed April l, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /5 y ATTORNEYS Cil ' material to disintegrate the same, and at the atenteoi July 20, i937 APPARATUS FOR TRETING MATERIAL .lloseph W. Boles, Cleveland, Chio, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Electro-Fibre Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of ho Application. April l, 1937,. Serial No. 134,414: 15 Claims. (Cl. {l2-24) This invention, as indicated, relates to a meththe apparatus to modify and condition the mateod and apparatus for producing high-speed fricrial undergoing treatment. tional effects, which may be electrostatic or elec- Another object f the nVentOn iS @0 DlOVde al trochemical in character, and for treating matemodified and conditioned material having 1111irial, and product resulting therefrom. More particular1y, it comprises an apparatus for producing high-speed frictional eiects and utilizing the same in various ways. It has particular application to the removal of foreign matter from bers, such as wood bers, cotton fibers, and the like, and is especially adapted for the reclaiming of paper/pulp, and providing a product of uni form and high quality. The invention includes the production of a pulp of a predetermined length of ber and freed from the ingredients .employed in fabricating and using such material, such as size, starch, glue and ink. It also includes an apparatus for treating the brous material which may operate thereon directly and through secondary frictional effects of possibly electrochemical character developed incidental to such operation'.

Heretofore it hasbeen the practice in reclaiming paper pulp to add chemical elements to assist in removing impurities, such chemical treatment, however, resulting, in most instances, in the production of short fibers and a very poor grade of paper stock. In the present instance, no such chemical treatment is used, the freeing of the fibrous material from ink, size, starch and glue being accomplished through high-speed frictional action primarily and the use of water of suitable character. The apparatus and method of the present invention also brings about a stratifcation'and alinement of the bers, the' long bers being separated from the short fibers, and such long fibers being adapted for the productionv of high grade papers when treated after the manner of standard paper production from similar stock. The short bers, ink, and other material separated by the present process are further separated, and are sold as stock for the production of boxboard and the like, and as ller material of ne grain.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for generating high-speed frictional eiects, of possibly electrostatic or electrochemical character and for treating material. l

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for acting directly on from foreign matter.`

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to develop high-speed frictional effects in a liquid bath to affect and condition material therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for reclaiming waste paper stock, including news print, and to remove the various ingredients therefrom, including fillers, sizing, colors, printing ink, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted for the treatment of certain grasses and similar fibrous material to render the same suitable for fabricating into cellulose adapted for various types of use, including newspaper stock, ber board andthe like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for reclaiming fabric, particularly cotton and rayon fabric, and removing the lling material, sizing, and dyes associated therewith, and realning the bers obtained therefrom, and cleaning and bleaching the same to permit manufacture of new stock from such material of high quality and with low percentage of conversion loss.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for the treatment of paper stock, including ledger, craft and news print, whereby such stock may be reclaimedaftenuse and classified as to ber length into long and short fibers, such long bers being adapted for further fabrication into stock similar to that from which it was derived, and the short fibers and foreign matter mixed therewith having a use for boxboard manufacture, and ller material. respectively.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means, method and product hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means and one mode of carrying out the invention, and one product resulting therefrom, such disclosed means, mode and product illustrating, however. but several of various applications of the principle of the invention.

same time to produce high-speed frictional effects, primary and secondary in-character within formty of texture and high degree of freedom In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;

.Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly broken away, showing the primary operative parts of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rotor and its associated parts; f

Figure 5 is an end View showing in enlarged detail the end of the stationary plates;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the assembled stationary plates;

Figure 7 is a side View of the structure shown in Figure 6; f

Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the method of assembling the stationary plates;

Figure 9 is an end view of the assembled stationary plates;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the stationary plates in operative position within the apparatus;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly broken away, showing a, modified form of rotor drum; l

Figure 12 is an end view, partly broken away, of the structure shown inFigure 11; and

Figure 13 is a side elevation showing a y bar.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the apparats comprises a tank I somewhat longer in length than in width, such as a tank of twentyve foot length and twenty foot width, having a rotordrum 2 adjacent one side thereof of approximately from four to six feet in length, the rotor drum being approximately sixty inches in diameter. 'I'he drum is supported on a shaft 3 running through the tank transversely with outside bearing supports 4,. The shaft passes through a fly board 5 positioned slightly more than the width of the rotor drum from the adjacent side wall of the tank. 'I'hus there is provided a raceway 6 between the y board and the wall of the tank for the material being treated. 'Ihe y board is spaced at its ends from the end walls of the tank a distance equal to the space between the fly board and the side wall of the tank. The oor of the tank is preferably inclined upwardly to the right, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, and, if desired, the side wall of the tank in the direction of flowof the material under the action of the rotor drum4 may be of somewhat greater height to prevent overow at the output side of the rotor drum. The

area of the tank opposite. the position of the rotor drum is somewhat larger than the passageway in which the drum is located to permit the material in course of treatment to circulate freely preliminary to being further acted/,upon by the rotor drum.

While the apparatus, asstated, corresponds very closely to the beater apparatus of a. paper making machine, it differs very materially from such apparatus in that it is not adapted to cut -stock or to make paper, but is intended to brush and condition stock so as to form material adapted after being fully treated and drained and dried to be ready for use as stock in a standard paper makingapparatus.

If desired, the apparatus may be constructed by modifying the beater of a papel making machine. In such modification, it is necessary to remove the knives in the floor of the machine and substitute plates therefor, as will bepresently described. It is also necessary to substitute bars and separating elements for the cutter knives on the beater roll and to enlarge the slots thereof, as will be presently described.

The function to be served by the beater roll when converted into a rotor drum and by the associated bed plate when converted from a cutting element into a series of stationary plates is VWholly different from that ofthe original parts of the beater.v Vhen the ily bars of the rotor drum are applied to a beater roll, the slots to receive the same must be enlarged, thus leaving the spaces intermediate such bars approximately the same width as that of the bars themselves. This construction will be hereinafter described in detail in connection with the showing in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings.

The apparatus has as its most essential feature the action of the rotor drum and its associated parts irrespective of how such parts are built up. In the structure illustrated in Figure 3, the rotor drum 2 is a solid casting of a mixture of soft steel and cast iron, and the drum has a series of integral fly bars 1. The shaft 3 is supported at eaoh of its ends by means of a pair of standards 8, as shown in Figure 1,V said standards being secured at their lower ends in the heavy metal bed plate 9 of the tank I. The standards each carry nuts II, I2, disposed on the opposite sides of a supporting plate I3` having an enlarged portion centrally provided with a bearing I4 for the shaft. Through the adjustment of the nuts I I and I2, the supporting plate may be raised or lowered so as to provide any degree of clearance desired between the outer surface of the fly bars and the upper surface of the stationary plates.

The shaft is provided with a large wheel I5 similar in shape to a pulley wheel, which in conjunction with the rotor drum serves as a y wheel and, if electrostatic action takes place, as a part of the electrical system through providing increased capacity and intensified action as well as smooth and even operation. A grooved drive pulley I6 is also provided on the shaft outwardly of the wheel I5, such pulley serving as a means of connection for the belt I'I connected with thev drive pulley I8 of an electric motor I9. The tank and its associated equipment and the motor are all mounted upon a table 2| formed of wood or similar material, fully insulating such apparatus from the earth.

The ily bars 1, as stated, in the form of construction shown in Figure 3, are integral with the rotor drum 2. The outer faces of said fly bars are flat, and the spaces intermediate said bars are substantially equal to their width. Im-

mediately beneath the fly bars are positioned the upper edges of the'plates 22 with which such bars frictionally coact. Ilfhe plates 22 are preferably formed of a soft grade of steel, and in any event each of the series of plates and bars, respectively, should be of magnetic material-one series being permanently magnetizable, and the coacting series being temporarily magnetizable, and in order to secure the proper reaction between the fly bars and the plates, it is desirable to have a greater width in each of the ily bars than in each of the plates, although a certain latitude in connection v'with the character of material of the respective bars and plates has been found to exist. In the device illustrated vin Figure 3, the ily bars are substantially two and a half times the width ofthe associated stationary plates.

. end plates 2l,

.driven into position. The wedge blocks, when they absorb water from the liquid in the tank, grip the plates very firmly and have to be destroyed in order to remove the plates. rIhe plates,

l vit will be noted, arel preferably of very shallow V-Shape, the angle of the plates being directed in the direction of now of the fluid in the tank. The fly bars f the rotor are preferably straight and parallel to the shaft. This provides for overlapping frictional eifects.

The plates 22, as more clearly shown in Figures to 9, are associated with somewhat larger 28, also of V-shape, the lower edges of which project freely into recesses 3U. Each of the plates 22 is spaced from its adjacent plate by means of an insulating bar of wood 29,

and beneath the three active plates 22 a supporting projection 3l on the L-shaped base block serves to insulate said plates from the base of the tank, and to accurately position the active plates in relation to the bars of the rotor drum. The three active plates are also insulated from the end plates 2l and 28.which arc wider and ylonger than the active plates by means of insulating washers 32, which, as shown in Figure 8, are engaged in enlarged apertures formed in the active plates at the points where the bolts 33 holding all the plates assembled are positioned. The end plates 21, 28 bear against the inner metal Walls of the tank at their outer ends, and thus establish a metallic connection with the walls of the tank as well as with the shaft and the rotor drum. The active plates 22 are insulated from metallic contact with said parts, but, as stated, are positioned closely adjacent the end j plates 21, 28, which in turn are the metal walls of the tank.

The construction described apparently sets up a state of electrical or chemical equilibrium of a limited extent between the active plates and the remainder of the mechanism, and at a predetermined speed of the rotor drum causes certain frictional effects which produce in the water,

connected with gases or substances, characterized by a pungent odor, suggesting the formation of chemical substances of ionic conditions, which have a clistinctive bleaching action on various materials. A full explanation of the exact phenomena which occur through the action of the apparatus can not be made, inasmuch as the changes while powerful in results are minute in range of action and great difficulty is found in measuring qualitatively or quantitatively the character and amount of electrostatic or electrochemical reaction, and in giving a detailed explanation of the action of each of the elements involved in the reactions which take place. However, it has been abundantly demonstrated that with a rotor drum and its associated mechanism of the type illustrated and a series of stationary plates associated therewith in the base of the tank beneath the axial line of the shaft holding the rotor drum with suitable spacing between the rotor drum and the top edges of such plates, certain results can be brought about, particularly in connection with the reclamation of paper pulp in all of its various forms with the releasing from such pulp of all size, starch, glue, printers ink, and the like, which may have been applied thereto, and having a decided bleaching action upon the pulp undergoing treatment, -as well as in most instances of an alinement of the pulp fibers and a classification of the pulp through screening operations as will be hereinafter described.

Where a rotor of large size is to be built', a solid rotor of the type illustrated in Figure 3 is impractical, and a rotor drum of the type shown in Figures 1l and 12 has been found advantageous. In such apparatus, the shaft il is formed with a series of spaced disks i2 secured thereto, with an intermediate enlarged disk it secured thereto. Fly bars fill provided with a central notch i5 on the under side thereof and with notches 46 at the opposite ends thereof are engaged upon said central disk at spaced intervals, the ends being received in notches il formed in the end plates d3 bearing against the disk l2 heretofore referred to. Annular flanged rings i9 engage the notches it in the ends of the fly bars with one flange and annular grooves 5l formed in the outer faces of the end plates 638 with the other flange. A series of screws 52 engaged in suitably threaded holes in the outer face of the end plates serve to secure the annular flanged rings in position. The surfaces of the ends-of the iiy bars and the outer faces of the end plates are counter sunk at the points where the flanged rings are positioned thereover, as will be most clearly seen from Figure 11. When the ily bars @lll are positioned as stated, wooden wedge blocks 53 are driven between the same and serve to hold the fly bars tion to each other. The fly bars, it will benoted, are flat on the outer and inner faces and are slightly wedge shaped in cross section, being tapered in an inward direction. The ily bars and the intermediate wooden separator or wedge bars 53 are of substantially the same width.

The tank may be filled with material to be treated at various points,'but is preferably filled by placing the material in the liquid in the tank in advance of the rotor, whence it will flow around the tank in a counter-clockwise direction and be drawn beneath the bars of the rotor and be subjected to the high-speed frictional effects as said bars pass over the stationary plates in the bottom of the tank. In 'addition to water various liquids may be used.

As has been indicated, the floor of the tank is inclined upwardly toward the right of the drawings, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and the walls of the tank are referably proportionately heightened at the right hand end to prevent overflow through foaming at such point. v

After the treatment of the material, such as paper pulp, including newsprint, has continued for the required period, which will differ with the character of the stock and other characteristics of the material, the contents of the tank are drained into a stuffing box. The outlet for the tank, which is designated the inletI for the stufng box, comprises a short section of pipe 6| positioned preferably centrally of the upper section 62 of the stufng box. The pipe does not extend into the liquid contents of the stuffing box, but terminates at some distance above the same, and thus there is no electrical grounding of the tank through any of the associated apparatus.

rmly in spaced relai The stung box is of conventional form, and in addition to the upper` section is provided with a lower section 63, and has a drain 64. The stuffing box is supported on a frame structure having upper frame members 65, lower frame members 66, and end frame members 61, 68, respectively. The lower frame member 66 is Supported upon standards 1|, 12. Immediately above the standard 12 bearings 13 for the end screen roller 14 are secured to the upper side 0f the frame members, and immediately above the standard 1| take-upbearings 15 are provided for the screen roller 16 at the end of the screen adjacent the tank. A screenY 11, preferably of 28-32 mesh, is supported on the screen rollers, which, in conventional practice, may be thirty inches in diameter. This screen is known as the upper screen.

vIn addition' to the outer screen 11,.which is known as the upper screen, there is provided within the structure an inner screen 18, which is known as the lower screen, such inner screen being supported on rollers 8|, 82, having bearings 83, 84 on the upper sides of the lower frame members, the bearings 84 being adjustable takeup bearings so that suitable tension may be applied to the screen. The rollers are preferably twenty inch rollers for an apparatus of the type illustrated, and the lower screen is preferably of 40-45 mesh.

'I'he shaft 85 carrying the roller 14 is preferably extended to one side of the frame and carries pulleys 86, 81, the pulley 86 being connectedlwith a pulley 88 on a shaft 89 supporting the roller 8|. The pulley 81 is preferably connected with a drive pulley 9| on the shaft of an electric motor 92. Any other source of power may, of course, be substituted for the motor drive illustrated. The screens are preferably driven at substantially the same rate of speed, and suitable gear ratios may be established to accomplish this result.

Above the, upper screen, idler pulleys 93 are provided, such idler pulleys being provided with grooves to receive narrow belts or straps 94 made of rubber adaptedy to rest upon the marginal portions of the upper vwire screen to serve as a guard against material being carried oi the side portions of the screen.

The lower portion`63 of the stuing box is provided with an extension apron 95 of flexible rubber resting upon the upper surface of the screen at its `free edge. and over this apron the pulp or other material treated in the tank is distributed into the upper surface of the upper screen. Asthe material is carried down the screen, it passes beneath a perforated spray pipe 96 which washes lling material and short bers into a drainage area provided by a pair of bevel plates 91 above the drainage pipe 98. A doctor 99 bears against the surface of the roller 16 beneath the bevel plates 91 and removes from -the surface of said roller any foreign matter which may have become lodged thereonf Means for cleaning the upper screen is provided in the form of a perforated pipe |0| positioned adjacent the lower portion of the roller 16. In-l termediate the rollers 14 and 16 for the upper screen, small idler supporting rollers |02 may be provided at suitable points along its path of travel. Above the central portion of the upper screen perforated pipes |03 may bey provided for a force feed discharge of water against the material on the upper screen. Beneath the position of such force feed discharge pipes a large pan |04, preferably of copper or brass, is provided, such pan being funnel shaped and draining into a large drainage pipe |05 which may be of three inch diameter in the apparatus shown.

Force feed sprays are provided for the lower screen, such sprays comprising the perforated pipes |06. A doctor |01 may be provided at a point below the pan |04 to bear against the surface of the roller 82, and a spray/in the form of a perforatedapipe |08 is provided adjacent the lower portion of the lower screen for cleaning the same. The end roller 8| of the inner screen is also provided with a doctor |09 for cleaning the surface of the same at a point below the pan |04.

Beneath the roller 8| a guard plate is provided' to direct bers discharged from the lower screen as it passes over the end roller 8|, such bers being received in a drain pipe ||2 which, in the form shown, may be a three inch drain pipe for receiving the short bers carried on the lower screen. A spray ||3 is provided immediately above the drain pipe ||2 for washing the short bers into the stock pit provided for the same. A spray in theform of a perforated pipe ||4 is provided immediately above the lower portion of the lower screen as it comes oi the roller 8| to loosen any bers which may adhere to such screen. such bers being drained over a board 5 leading to the drain pipe H2. The longer bers remain on the upper surface of the upper screen until the same passes over the end roller 14 and are then dropped against the guard plate ||6 which communicates with a large pipe ||1 leading to the stock pit for the long bers. The drain pipe ||1 may be ten inches in diameter in the apparatus illustrated.

On the opposite side of the drain pipe ||1 a drain board 8 is provided to receive any bers which may be dropped from the lower portion of the upper screen. form of a perforated pipe 9 may be provided for loosening any bers adhering to the upper screen after it has passed over the drain pipe ||1. 'I'he lower screen. in place of having idler belts at the margins thereof to prevent the material from owing off the side edges, may be provided with Wooden guide boards |2|. In order to keep suitable tension upon the upper screen, an idler roll |22 may be provided at a central position of the path of travel of the upper screen, such idler roll being adjustable to a predetermined degree to effect the purpose indicated.

The apparatus above described, it will be noted, has four drainage pits from which material carried on the screen is removed, the rst material removed comprising very short bers which may be intermixed with particles of material such as starch, glue, ller, size, and ink, and the large pan immediately beneath the sprays which act upon the upper and lower screens in a Acentral position serving to receive a further classification of short bers discharged through the meshes of the screens together with any remaining foreign material associated therewith. The lower screen then discharges into the next draining pit which is provided for the short bers and a nal discharge of material on the screen comprises the residue remaining thereon which passes beyond the end roller of the upper screen. such material being in the form of long bers which are drained into a A spray in the pit provided particularly for the long bers and 75 aoeas'ro comprising in most instances the bulk of the material treated in the apparatus. If the char acter of the-material being treated requires enlargement of the draining equipment for any of the other classifications of material, appropriate changes can be readily made.

Tests made with the apparatus constructed in the manner above described, with a rotor drum of the type illustrated in Figure 3, and other equipment substantially identical withthat shown in Figures 1 and 2. have been made, and have disclosed that various kinds of paper stock, whether from Wood pulp or with rag content or various kinds of material comprising brous grasses or raw cotton or cotton cloth, could be effectively disintegrated so as to form a body of fibrous material, and that such material would be freed substantially from all coloring matter within a relatively short period of time. It was found possible to remove ink from news print after a period of treatment of approximately twenty minutes and to recover such news print stock in the form of relatively long fiber stock with a small percentage of waste.

The rotor in the apparatus tested had a peripheral speed of approximately seven hundred feet per minute over the stationary plates in the bottom of the tank, and an eiect, which might be ascribed to a discharge of static electricity was noticeable at such point. The point of discharge showed in the form of a luminous band intermediate the fly bars and the stationary plates, and was also perceptible through immersion of the hands of the operator in the solution. With paper stock in the bath, the action of the apparatus was increased in intensity, and such action was likewise increased through the provision of the auxiliary pulley wheel mounted on the shaft o the rotor drum.

The insulation of the tank and its immediate accessory mechanism must be carefully provided for as above stated, and in place of the. wooden table in large installations bakelite, glass, porcelain and the like may be used as insulating means. Insulation may also be provided for the screens, and the drainage appliances, andvalso for any feeding hoppers or the like which it may be found desirable to install.

In the structure illustrated only one rotordrum and coacting plate series has been shown,` but for some uses, a long, straight, single treatment passageway or raceway may be used in place of an elongated tank in which the material treated is repeatedly circulated between a single rotor drum and its associated plates.

While the apparatus above described has been shown in connection with a machine adapted for the reclaiming of paper pulp'and the like, it is to .be understood that it is not intended to restrict the invention to a particular use, nor to limit the process embodying the invention to use for the reclaiming of various types of material, inasmuch as the invention appears to be applicable with equal advantage to many other uses, including the generation of high-speed frictional eiects for a -wide variety of uses other than those herein directly explained.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed and the forms of the product resulting therefrom, provided those stated by any one of the following claims or their equivalents be employed or embodied therein.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my inventionz- 1. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a receptacle for a Water bath, a plurality of separate independent metallic elements at least one of which is metallically unconnected with any associated element or with the remainder of the apparatus, positioned within said water bath, a rotor drum supported above said receptacle and carrying a plurality of metallic elements, metallically connected, adapted to move in close proximity to the first set of metallic elements, one of said sets of metallic elements being of permanently magnetizable character, and the other set of metallic elements being of temporarily magnetizable character, means for moving speed with reference to the other of said sets of metallic elements to generate high-speed frictional eects, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

2. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination aV receptacle for a water bath, a plurality of permanently magnetizable separate independent metallic elements at least one of which is metallically unconnected with any associated element or with the remainder of the apparatus of soft steel positioned within said water bath, a rotor drum supported above said receptacle and carrying a plurality of metallic elements, metallically connected, and adapted to be moved in close proximity to the first set of metallic elements, the metallic elements on said rotor drum being of temporarily magnetizable character, means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth, and means for driving said rotor drum at high speed to move the metallic elements thereon past the position of the first named series of metallic elements to generate high speed frictional eects.

3. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination a tank for receiving a supply of water, a rotor supported in said tank in contact with the water therein, said rotor having a series of bars of temporarily magnetizable material parallel to the axis of said rotor in uniformly spaced relation about the outer surface of said rotor and metallically connected, and a series of separate independent plates of permanently magnetizable material mounted below the water bath on an inner surface of said tank in closely spaced relation to the bars of said rotor and coacting rictionally therewith, at least one of which plates is metallically unconnected with any associated plate or with the remainder of the apparatus, means for rotating said rotor at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

4. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination an elongated metallic tank, a metallic drum having a surface portion of ternporarily magnetizable material formed with transverse grooves and ribs and mounted transversely of said tank with the surface of said drum in closely spacedl relation tank, a plurality of plates of permanently magnetizable material ofshallow V-shape imbedded in the bottom of said tank immediately beneath said drum, means insulating said plates from metallic contact with said tank and with each other, a supply of water within said tank surrounding the lower portion of said drum, means for driving said drum, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth. i

said rotor drum at relatively highr to the bottom of said 6 5. An apparatus of the character described,

having in combination an elongated metallic tank, a metallic drum mounted transversely of said tank with the surface of said drum formed of material of temporarily magnetizable character and with said surface in closely spaced relation to the bottom of said tank and formed with transverse grooves and ribs, a plurality of plates of permanently magnetizable material imbedded in the bottom of said tank immediately beneath said drum at least one of which plates is metallically unconnected with any associated plate or with the remainder of the apparatus, means insulating said plates from metallic contact'with each other and with said tank, a water bath within said tank surrounding the lower portion of said drum, means for driving said drum, and

means for in-sulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

6. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination an elongated metallic tank having a longitudinal vertical' partition member spaced from the ends thereof to provide for water circulation, a metallic drum mounted transversely of said tank with the surface of said drum formed wth a series of transversely extending metallically connected ribs of temporarily magnetizable material positioned in closely spaced relation to the bottom of said tank, a plurality of narrow plates of permanently magnetizable material of shallow V-shape imbedded edgewise in the bottom of said tank immediately beneath said drum and coacting frictionally therewith, means insulating said plates from metallic contact with said tank, a supply of Water within said tank surrounding the lower portion of said drum, :neans for driving said drum, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

7. An apparatus for treating material, comprising an elongated metallic tank adapted to hold a supply of water, a flyboard disposed lengthwise of said tank along a line offset from the longitudinal median line thereof, a drum positioned intermediate said flyboard and the next adjacent wall of said tank, a plurality of metallic bars of temporarily magnetizable material and metallically interconnected, mounted on said drum parallel to the axis thereof, a plurality of separate independent .metallic plates of permanently magnetizable material set within the floor of said tank and insulated from metallic contact therewith, said plates being in spaced relation to the bars of said drum and coacting connected at theirends with said tank, said plates frictionally therewith, said supply of water being disposed over said plates and around the lower portion of said drum, means for rotating said drum at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

8. An apparatus for treating material, comprising an elongated metallic tank adapted to hold a supply of water, a yboard disposed lengthwise of said tank along a line offset from the longitudinal median line thereof, a drum positioned intermediate said yboard and the next adjacent wall of said tank, a plurality of metallic bars metallically connected and of temporarily magnetizable material mounted on said drum parallel to the axis thereof, a plurality of plates of permanently magnetizable material and of shallow V-shape and spaced from each other set within the floor of said tank, the central plates lbeing metallically unconnected with eachother and with the tank and the outer plates being being in closely spaced relation to the bars of said drum and coacting frictionally therewith, said water supply being disposed over said plates and around the lower portion of said drum, means for rotating said drum at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

9. An apparatus for disintegrating and cleaning brcus material, comprising an elongatedy metallic tank with elliptical end portions, an inclined licor in said tank extending at an angle toward one of said end portions, a flyboard positioned in spaced relation to one of the side Walls of said tank' inwardly of the median line of said tank, a metallic drum rotatably supported for rotation between'said side wall and said flyboard, a pair of frictionally interacting units including a plurality of metallic bars metallically connected and of a temporarily magnetizable mixture of castiron and soft steel extending transversely across the surface of said drum at uniformly spaced intervals about the circumference thereof and parallel to the axis of said drum, a plurality of plates of permanently magnetizable soft steel metallically unconnected with each other and imbedded in edgewise position in said tank and insulated from metallic contact therewith closely positioned adjacent to and metallically unconnected with other plates connected with the metallic side walls of said tank, the bars on said vdrum having close clearance from the plates inthe bottom of said tank for simultaneously disintegrating material and generating frictional effects therein, a supply of Water within said tank overlying said plates and contacting the lower portion of said rotor drum, means for rotating said drum at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

10. An apparatus for disintegrating and cleaning fibrous material, comprising an elongated metallic tank with elliptical end portions, an inclined floor in said tank extending at an angle toward one of said end portions, a yboard positioned in spaced relation to one of the side walls of said tank inwardly of the median line of said tank, a metallic drum rotatably supported for rotation between said side wall and said ilyboard, a plurality of wide metallic bars of a temporarily magnetizable mixture of castiron and soft steel extending transversely across the surface of said drum at uniformly spaced intervals about the circumference thereof and parallel to the axisY of said drum, a plurality of narrow plates of permanently magnetizable soft steel metallically unconnected with each other and of shallow V-shape imbedded in said tank and insulated from metallic contact therewith, said plates being closely positioned adjacent to and metallically unconnected with other plates connected with the metallic side walls of said tank, the bars on said drum having close clearance from the plates in the bottom of said tank for simultaneously disintegrating material and generating frictional effects thereinja supply of water within said tank overlying said plates and contacting the lower portion of said rotor drum, means for rotating said drum at a predetermined rate of speed, and means for insulating all of said apparatus from the earth.

11. An apparatus of the character described,

having in combination means for receiving a sup ply of water, at least two sets of frlctlonally reacting elements positioned in contact with said water at a point of close juxtaposition t0 each Y 'ea-,087,870

"other, one of said sets of elements comprising separa-te metallic units metallically unconnected with each other and with the remainder of the apparatus and being of narrow width and of shallow V-shape and of permanently magnetizable material, andthe other of said sets of elements being of temporarily magnetizable character, and comprising metallically interconnected elements of a width to overlap portions of three of said narrow units, said sets of elements being unconnected metallically with each other, means l lfor insulating all of said apparatus from the earth, and means for moving said elements rela- A tively to each other and to the water at a speed sufficiently high to generate frictional eiects. 12. Anapparatus of the character described, having in combination means for receiving a supply of water with fibrous material suspended therein, at least two sets of frictionally reacting elements unconnected metallically with each other positioned in contact with said water at a point of close juxtaposition to each other, one of said sets of elements comprising separate spaced metallic permanently magnetizable units metallically unconnected with each other and with the remainder of the apparatus and being of narrow width and of shallow V-shape, and the other of said sets of elements being of temporarily magnetizable material comprising metallically interconnected elements of a width to overlap portions of three of said narrow units, means for insulating said apparatus from the earth, and means for moving said elements relatively to each other and to the water at a speed suiiiciently high to generate secondary frictional effects and to disintegrate said fibrous material mechanically, and to simultaneously through such secondary frictional effects condition and fibrous material and remove foreign matter therefrom.

13. An apparatus of the character described. having in combination means for receiving a supply of water and newsprint paper stock to be reclaimed, at least two sets of frictionally reacting elements unconnected metallically'with each other positioned in contact with said water at a point of close juxtaposition to each other, one of said sets of elements comprising separate spaced metallic permanently magnetizable units metallically unconnected with each other and with the remainder of the apparatus and being of narrow width and of shallow V-shape, and the other of said sets of elements being of temporarily magnetizable material .comprising metallically interconnected elements-of a width to overlap portions of three of said narrow units, means for insulating said apparatus from the earth, means for moving said elements relatively to each other and to the water at a speed sufficiently high to generate secondary frictional effects and to disintegrate said newsprint paper stock mechanically and to simultaneously through such secondary frictional effects free vsaid stock from foreign matter, illing and binding material, and printing ink, and to condition such fibers for reuse as .paper pulp in a paper making apparatus.

14. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination means for receiving a supply of water and newsprint paper stock to Vbe reclaimed, at least two sets of frictionally reacting elements .unconnected metallically with each other positioned in contact with saidwater at a' point of close juxtaposition to each other, one of said sets of elements comprising separate spaced metallic permanently magnetizable 'units metallically unconnected with each other and with the remainder of the `apparatus and being of narrow width and of shallow V-shape, and the other of said sets of elements being of temporarily magnetizable material comprising metallically interconnected elements of a width to overlap portions of three of said narrow units, means for insulating said apparatus from the earth, means for moving said elements relatively to each other and to the water at a speed sufficiently high to generate secondary frictional effects and to disintegrate said newsprint paper stock mechanically and to simultaneously through such secondary frictional effects free said stock from foreign matter, filling and binding material, and printing ink, and means for Washing and screening said fibers and foreign matter and classifying the same into grades of paper. pulp of different fiber length and as ller residue.

y15. An apparatus of the character described, having in combination means for receiving a supply of water and newsprint paper stock to be reclaimed, at least two sets of frictionally reacting elements unconnected metallically with each other positioned in contact with said water at a point of close juxtaposition to each other, one of said sets of elements comprising separate spaced metallic permanently magnetizable units metallically unconnected with each other and with the remainder of the apparatus and being of narrow width and of shallow V-shape, and the other of said sets of elements being of temporarily magnetizable material comprising metallically interconnected elements of a width to overlap lpor-- tions of three of said narrow units, means for insulating said apparatus from the earth, means 

